Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov discussed the United Nations' response to the missile tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) via telephone on Saturday, according to the Foreign Ministry.

 

The two sides also conferred on promoting China-Russia strategic cooperation, the Foreign Ministry says.

 

The UN Security Council met Wednesday for an emergency meeting to discuss the DPRK's missile tests, which launched seven missiles on Wednesday morning.

 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said earlier that China hopes the UN response to the DPRK's missile tests will be helpful in promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

 

China and Russia on Friday called for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis amid Japan's push for sanctions against the DPRK.

 

China believes that instead of seeking sanctions against Pyongyang, the UN Security Council can best make a unanimous and firm response to DPRK's missile launch "through a statement that sends a strong message", said Wang Guangya, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Friday.

 

The Chinese diplomat also said, the UN Security Council, as the most important world organization, should also take actions responsibly and take into account all possible negative consequences that might result, said the Chinese diplomat.

 

Japan presented a draft Security Council resolution on Friday that seeks sanctions against the DPRK.

 

The draft, co-sponsored by Britain, France and the United States, invokes Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which authorizes sanctions or even military action.

 

Earlier on Thursday, the DPRK Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the latest missile launches were part of routine military exercises staged by the DPRK army which is upgrading the nation's military self-defense capacity.

 

US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill is on a four-nation trip to revive the deadlocked six-party talks.

 

Hill, also the US chief negotiator to the six-party talks, said Saturday in Seoul that the United States would be willing to hold a "bilateral meeting" with the DPRK within the framework of the six-party talks.

 

During his stay in Beijing Friday, Hill said he hopes the DPRK can return to the six-party talks as soon as possible.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2006)